A26923:1019
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches
An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches by reconciling explication without much disputing. Written by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1691
Chapter 23: How Faith justifieth; and how it is imputed to us for Righteousness.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 4. But morally to receive Grace, or Christ, is but to consent that Grace and Christ be ours: As a Subject, a Servant, a Wife, consent to their Relation; and this is our Faith, and not the former.
§. 5. Where note, That moral Receiving (or Consent) is but a Means of physical Receiving (or Having) and a means which maketh not the thing ours▪ any otherwise, than as the Will of the Giver doth appoint, and give it its Power thereunto. ⟨p. 269⟩This moral receiving or accepting is but dispositio recipientis, as to having or physical reception; as there must be in all things dispositio materiae ad formam recipiendam: He that will not accept the Gift, is accounted by the Giver morally unfit for it.
§. 6. But this is not spoken of every Gift; but of such as are offered by the Giver on the Condition of thankful acceptance. For God giveth many things absolutely; as Christ was given to be Man's Redeemer, and Christ gave his Covenant, Gospel, and Apostles, and sendeth the word to many that before have it not, and giveth the first Grace, which causeth mens acceptance of the other, and all this not on the Condition of their acceptance: But the Gifts bestowed by the Baptismal Covenant of Grace, are all given on Condition of our moral receiving or acceptance.